Coward Of The County - Kenny Rogers
Intro: [A] [A]
Verse 1:
A D A
Everyone considered him the coward of the county
E7
He'd never stood one single time to prove the county wrong.
A D A
His mama named him Tommy, but folks just called him yellow,
E7 A
Something always told me they were reading Tommy wrong.
Verse 2:
A D A
He was only ten years old when his daddy died in prison;
E7
I took care of Tommy, 'cause he was my brother's son.
A D A
I still recall the final words my brother said to Tommy,
E7 A
"Son my life is over, but yours has just begun".
|Chorus:
|A D A
| "Promise me, son, not to do the things I've done
|D A E7
| Walk away from trouble if you can.
|A D A
| It won't mean you're weak if you turn the other cheek
|A D E7
| I hope you're old enough to understand,
|E7 A
| Son, you don't have to fight to be a man."
Verse 3:
A D A
There's someone for everyone, and Tommy's love was Becky.
A E7
In her arms he didn't have to prove he was a man.
A D A
One day while he was working, the Gatlin boys came calling
E7 A
They took turns at Becky, (n' there was three of them).
Verse 4:
A D
Tommy opened up the door, and saw Becky crying. [A]
E7
The torn dress, the shattered look was more than he could stand.
A D A
He reached above the fireplace, and took down his daddy's picture.
E7 A
As the tears fell on his daddy's face, he heard these words again
[Chorus]
Verse 5:
A D A
The Gatlin boys just laughed at him when he walked into the barroom;
E7
One of them got up and met him half way cross the floor.
A D A
When Tommy turned around they said, "Hey look! old yeller's leaving,"
E7 A
But you could've heard a pin drop when Tommy stopped and locked the door.
Verse 6:
A D A
Twenty years of crawling were bottled up inside him.
E7
He wasn't holding nothing back - he let 'em have it all.
A D A
When Tommy left the bar room, not a Gatlin boy was standing.
A E7 A
He said, "This one's for Becky, as he watched the last one fall. (And I heard him say,)
|Chorus:
|A D A
| "I promised you, Dad, not to do the things you've done
|D A E7
| I walk away from trouble when I can
| A D A
|Now please don't think I'm weak, I didn't turn the other cheek,
|A D E7
| And papa, I sure hope you understand
| E7 A
|Sometimes you gotta fight when you're a man".
Outro:
[A] Everyone considered him the [D*] coward of the [A*] county.
Intro A A
Verse 1
A Everyone considered him the D coward of the A county
He'd never stood one single time to prove the county E7 wrong.
His A mama named him Tommy, but D folks just called him A yellow,
Something always told me they were E7 reading Tommy A wrong.
Verse 2
A He was only ten years old when his D daddy died in A prison;
I took care of Tommy, 'cause he was my brother's E7 son.
I A still recall the final words my D brother said to A Tommy,
"Son my life is over, but E7 yours has just A begun".
Chorus
A "Promise me, son, not to D do the things I've A done
D Walk away from A trouble if you E7 can.
A It won't mean you're weak if you D turn the other A cheek
A I hope you're old D enough to underE7stand,
E7 Son, you don't have to fight to be a A man."
Verse 3
A There's someone for everyone, and D Tommy's love was A Becky.
A In her arms he didn't have to prove he was a E7 man.
A One day while he was working, the D Gatlin boys came A calling
They took turns at Becky, E7 n' there was three of A them.
Verse 4
A Tommy opened up the door, and saw D Becky crying. A
The torn dress, the shattered look was more than he could E7 stand.
A He reached above the fireplace, and took D down his daddy's A picture.
As the tears fell on his daddy's face, he E7 heard these words A again
Chorus
Verse 5
A The Gatlin boys just laughed at him when he D walked into the A barroom;
One of them got up and met him half way cross the E7 floor.
A When Tommy turned around they said, "Hey D look! old yeller's A leaving,"
But you could've heard a pin drop when Tommy E7 stopped and locked the A door.
Verse 6
A Twenty years of crawling were D bottled up A inside him.
He wasn't holding nothing back - he let 'em have it E7 all.
A When Tommy left the bar room, not a D Gatlin boy was A standing.
A He said, "This one's for Becky, as he E7 watched the last one A fall. And I heard him say,
Chorus
A "I promised you, Dad, not to D do the things you've A done
D I walk away from A trouble when I E7 can
Now A please don't think I'm weak, I didn't D turn the other A cheek,
A And papa, I sure D hope you underE7stand
SomeE7times you gotta fight when you're a A man".
Outro
A Everyone considered him the D* coward of the A* county.